In recent years, polyamide resins and polyimide resins have been used as protective films or insulating films employed in electronic components. However, a step of forming a pattern on these films comprises complicated operations such as forming a resist material film on the film surface, exposing predetermined areas, developing, removing unwanted areas by etching, etc., stripping off the resist material, and substrate surface washing. There has therefore been a desire for the development of a photosensitive material that enables a resist on which a pattern has been formed by exposure and development to be used as a protective film or an insulating film without any further treatment.
Currently, various types of photosensitive polyimide resins are being developed and widely used as protective films and insulating films employed in semiconductor devices. However, since many photosensitive polyimide resins require imidization at a temperature of approximately 300° C. subsequent to pattern formation, they cannot be applied to electronic components that cannot be subjected to a high temperature treatment. Furthermore, the alkali resistance of photosensitive polyimide resins is insufficient for them to be used as a protective film or an insulating film of special electronic components that require alkali resistance.